Domestic appliance



Dec. 20, 1960 J. W. JACOBS ET AL DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 21, 19562 Sheets-Sheet 1 m ll? ,1?

INVENTORS 1 James W. Jacobs Francis H 777C0rmick 1? ca W THE! R ATTORNEYDec. 20, 1960 J. w. JACOBS ET AL 2,965,428

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed March 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a fia l5INVENTOR James W Jacobs 7;? 4 Francis H 777Carmiclz I LI THEIR w ssUnited States Patent DOMESTIC APPLIANCE James W. Jacobs and Francis H.McCormick, Dayton,

Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., acorporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 21, 1956, Ser. No. 572,943

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-245) This invention relates to a kitchen cabinetassembly and more particularly to an assembly in which the cabinets aresupported by a framework that also supports one or more wall panels.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable metal framework thatis adapted to support one or more kitchen cabinets, the framework beingso constructed that wood furring strips may be readily attached thereto.

Another object is to provide fastening means for attaching a woodfurring strip to a metal strut.

Still another object is to provide a kitchen cabinet having a framefabricated of a plurality of interconnected channel irons.

A further object is to provide a frame and a cabinet support which areso constructed and arranged as to provide a space for the passage ofconduits and the like between the frame and the cabinet support.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein apreferred embodiment of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a kitchen cabinet assembly constructedin accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a vertical strut and wood furring stripjust prior to the attachment of the furring strip to the strut;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the strut and furring strip securedtogether; and

Figure 4.is a sectional view of an eccentric drawer positioning rollerthat is adapted to vertically position the cabinet drawers of thisinvention.

A preferred embodiment of a kitchen cabinet assembly constructed inaccordance with this invention is shown in Fig. 1. The assemblycomprises a kitchen cabinet denoted generally by reference numeral 2,and a frame for an'identical kitchen cabinet generally denoted byreference numeral 4. The kitchen cabinet frame structure includes aplurality of vertically disposed channels 6. and horizontally disposedchannels 8. A single channel may be bent to shape to form channels 6 and8, or a plurality of channels may be used that are secured together bywelding or any other suitable means. The lower portions of channels 6are bent to form the offset channel members 10 and 12. Member 12 extendsinward- 1y (toward the center of thecabinet andmerges into a It will beapparent that the passage of water pipes and the like, as shown in thedrawing. The vertical channels 6 are interconnected by horizontallyextending channels 18 that are welded or otherwise connected to channels6, the top channels forming a top frame for the cabinet. Similar lowerchannels 1S connectichannel members 14. A plurality of gusset plates 20are welded to the channels in order to provide a rigid frame structure.The verticalchannels 1 ice are also connected by drawer support members22 and 24 that are welded or otherwise secured to the vertical irons.

Each drawer support 24 may include an extension 26 that carries aplurality of drawer rollers, as shown. Drawer support plate 24 isslotted, as shown, and coacts with conventional guide means 24a securedto extensions 26 so as to guide the extension 26 and the drawersupported thereby during its sliding movement.

A pair of angle irons 30' are welded to channel irons 8 and 18 at thelower part of the frame structure. Each angle iron has a V-shaped slot30a that is adapted to coact with one of the vertically disposed flangeson the horizontal structural member 23, as shown, to preclude movementof the cabinet away from the member 23. The lower front frame structureis provided with gusset plates 32 welded to the channel irons. Each ofthese gusset plates carries a bolt or adjustable foot assembly, denotedby reference numeral 33, that may be extended to engage the kitchenfloor after the cabinet frame is secured to the vertical support 21.

In order to construct a finished cabinet, it is only necessary to securepanels to the channel iron frame and to provide the front opening of theframe with drawers. If one or more cabinets are to be used in side byside abutting relationship, it may not be desirable to provide theabutting sides of the frames with panels. The panels may be secured tothe channel irons by machine screws or other suitable means and the topof the frame may carry a work table 3 suitably secured to the topchannel irons.

The complete cabinet is denoted by reference numeral 2 and as shown, hasa plurality of drawers slidably disposed in frame 4. Drawers 13 areprovided with a longitudinally extending flange 15, as shown in Fig. 4,that rides on top of a roller 5. The rear portions of these drawers maybe supported and guided by any conventional means in accordance withconventional practice and may, for eaxmple, carry rollers 13a or othersuitable means adapted to engage the drawer supports 22. The drawer 29may also be provided with a longitudinally extending flange (not shown)similar to the flange 15', adapted to slidingly engage the rollers 29asecured to extension 26. If such a flanged arrangement is used, theextension 26 may be formed with a groove 28 that slidably guides theflange. Drawer 35 may carry means (not shown), adapted to engage lowerdrawer supports 22 for supporting the drawer in its sliding movement. Awork table 3 is secured to the top channel irons of the frame and ispreferably made of a layer of moistureand-heat resistant material 3abonded to an inner relatively rigid member 3b. It should be noted thatthe outer faces of the drawer structure completely enclose the frontarea of the cabinet frame. It will thus be apparent that no panelmembers are needed to cover the front faces of channel irons 6 and 10 asthese will be covered by the front faces of the drawers. Rollers 5 arerotatably secured at the inner face of channel irons 6 and engage theoutwardly extending flange 15 of the drawers, as shown in Fig. 4. Theserollers are eccentrically mounted, as will more clearly hereinafterappear, in. order that the drawers may be vertically displaced toaccurately space them in vertical relation. T

The kitchen cabinets hereinbefore described are adapted to be secured toa framework that includes vertically disposed struts 21. A horizontalstructural base member 23 is secured to the lower ends of the verticalstruts 21 by an angle iron 25 or other suitable means. Structural member23 is U-shaped and is adapted to be secured to the floor of an enclosureor to any other suitable horizontally disposed support. One leg of theU-shaped member 23 forms a vertically extending abutment that engagesthe V-shaped slots Sila in the angle a. rectange.

irons 30 for holding the frame of the cabinet frorn movement away fromthe struts 21. Struts 21 are hollow and are slotted at 34 as shown inFig. 1. These slots slidably guide gbQlts that threadingly engageextension bars:36. iWiththisconstruction it is possible to providea'vertical strut that may be adjustedso as to compensate fori-diiferences -in ceiling heights. The lower ends of thebars 36v slidealong the interior walls of strut 21 and may beheld from-movement withrespect to the struts by the fastening bolts 37 that are slidinglyguided by slot 34. The bars 36 may be welded to hollow exten- Sionstruts38, as shown in the drawings. Struts 38 are arrangedwithfasteningmeans that extend through slots 40aformed in a horizontalbar 40. This horizontal bar mayengage the ceiling of a room and by thejustdescribed "construction, isextensible to a certain degree withrespect to-struts 38. It will thus be apparent that the vertical strutsare provided with extensible means adapted to be used with rooms havingceilings of varying vertical heights.

The vertical struts 21 are designed to carry a wood furring strip 42.The wood furring strip provides means adapted to carry wall panelmaterial denoted by reference numeral 44. The wall panel may be nailedto the wood furring or secured thereto by any other suitable means.Thesecuring of the wood'furring to the strutgis an important feature ofthe invention as it provides a surfacethat is readily adapted to receivenails or othertypes of wall securing means.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a preferred method of securing a wood furring stripto a metal strut. The metal strut 21 has an elongated slot 46 at itsrear that extends the entire length thereof. The slot may be formedbybendingnthe walls of the strut inwardly to forrninturnedflangedmembers 48. In this embodiment the strut is hollow and is formedby a plurality of walls that define It will be apparent to those skilledin the art that the strut may be of any cross-sectionalconfiguration-and that the slot may be of any desired length. The woodfurring strip 42 is provided with one or more bolt receiving aperturesthat are adapted to receive one or more bolts 50. The bolt receivingapertures may have countersunk portions adapted to conceal the head eudof the bolt. The bolt is suitably threaded and these threadsengage theinternal threads of an elongated nut denotedbyreference numeral 52. Thisnut is longer .than the distance between the inner walls 54 and 56 ofthe strut but the width of the nut as shownin Fig. 2 is somewhat lessthan the width of slot 46. The nut is not as wide as the slot in orderthat the bolt and nut may be inserted through the slot into the interiorof the strut when the slot and bolt are longitudinally aligned. It willthus be apparent that all that is needed for assembling the furringstrip 42 to the strut 21 is the insertion of the nut and the projectingend of the bolt through the slot 46 into the interior of the strut. Thebolt may then be tightened by a rotation thereof with a suitable tooladapted to coact with the head end of the bolt. The nut 52 will rotateinside of the strut until the ends of the nut engage inner walls 54 and56 of the strut whereupon rotation of the nut is precluded. Withrotation of the nut positively precluded, the strut and furring may betightly drawn together by rotation of bolt 50. The strutandwood furringstrip-are shown in assembled position in Fig. 3 with the nut engagingflanged portions 48 ofthe strut.

The eccentric positioning structure for the rollers 5 is shown in detailin the sectional view of Fig. 4. As ,shown in this figure, the roller 5is journalled on a bearing member 7 eccentrically disposed with respectto a threaded; bolt portion 9that is connected to member 7.

non :of number 7 -.-will, ofhcourse, vertically position the roller 5which in turn positions the drawer 13 which has a flange 15 resting onthe roller 5. The eccentric roller assembly may be secured to channeliron 6 by means of a nut threaded on bolt 9 or by any other man neradapted to secure the eccentric drawer positioning means.

The method of setting up the kitchen cabinet assembly will now bedescribed. The horizontal structural member 23 is first secured to afloor or other horizontally disposed member. The structural member 23 issecured in-a true horizontal position and shims may be used between themember and fioor to compensate forirregular floor surfaces. Thestructuralmember need not necessarily be secured against the wall of aroom but may be disposed in any position that will enhance thearchitectural setting of the room. When the horizontal structural memberis secured in place, the vertical struts 21 are afiixed thereto in atrue vertical position and the kitchen cabinet frames may then besecured by machine screws 27 or other suitable means to one face of thevertical struts, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be apparent that if thestruts are in a true vertical position, the same .Will be true of thecabinet frames, and, furthermore, that a horizontal axis of the framewill be normal to a plane including the vertical struts. The cabinetsare thus positioned by using the vertical struts as a reference planeand -do not depend on cabinet mounted levelling devices for thisfunction. If more than one cabinet is used, the cabinet frames may besecured together to strengthen the kitchen assembly. When the cabinetframes are securely fastened to the struts, the adjustable feet or bolts33 may be extended to engage thefioor to provide additional cabinetsupport. These bolts will take up any irregularities in the floorstructure. It will be apparent from the foregoing thatthe cabinet framesand cabinets are thus spaced from the floor of the enclosure during thepositioning procedure. As noted hereinbefore, the upper ends of thestruts are held in alignment and are connected by a horizontallydisposed plate 40 that may be secured to the ceiling of a room toprovide for better support of the struts 21. It will also be apparentthat the struts 21 together with the horizontally disposed members 23and 40 comprise what may be termed a structural framework.

.It should be pointed out that the securing together of the verticalstruts, horizontal structural member and cabinet frames provides aself-sustaining portable cabinet assembly. The cabinet frame beingfabricated of channel irons reinforces the framework including thevertical struts. Since the assembly is self-sustaining, the horizontalbar 40 need not in all instances be attached to the ceiling.Furthermore, it is apparent that the vertical struts, horizontalstructural member and cabinet frames might .be pre-assembled as aself-sustaining portable unit.

The struts 21 may carry a light fixture denoted by reference numeral 58,and atwo-part wiring'racew'ay 60. The two parts of the raceway arearranged tobe snapped together, the back part being secured to thevertical struts by machine screwsQas shown. The wiring racewaymay have aswitch and spaced outlets formed therein, as shown. A panel 62 isadapted to cover the wiring racewayand is provided with a loweredg'eportion'tthat engages the worktable 3. The switches and outletson'raceway 60 protrude through the panel 62 in order that they will beaccessible to the user. The upper portions of the struts may carry anupper cabinet 64. There may be one or more of these Cabinets 1 securedto the'struts, as desired. A light dispersing panel -63=i5 interposedbetween upper cabinet 64 and panel 62 and, acts -to=dis perse lightdownwardly toward the work table. The lightsfmounted on light fixture 58may be used-to light the interiorof cabinets 64 by providing suitablelight passing apertures in the lower shelf of cabinet 64.

From the foregoing it is seen that a kitchen cabinet assembly has beenprovided that may be assembled in any desired position in a room. Theframe structure for the cabinets is portable and is easily assembled.Furthermore, the frame structure is adapted to support a plurality ofkitchen cabinets and also to support a wood furring strip that providesfor easy attachability of wall panel material.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a kitchen cabinet having a frame structure, a supportfor said cabinet comprising a vertically disposed framework formed of aplurality of interconnected vertically and horizontally extendingcoplanar metal struts, said frame structure having a verticallyextending member engaging one of said vertical struts and extending partway therealong, said vertically extending member having a portionextending away from said framework to provide a space for the passage ofconduits and the like, and means securely fastening one of said verticalstruts to said vertical member.

2. A kitchen cabinet having a rigid frame structure, said framestructure having a plurality of vertically disposed channel iron cornerposts, a plurality of horizontally disposed channel irons rigidlyconnected to said vertically disposed channel iron corner posts, saidvertically disposed channel irons having offset portions extendinginwardly toward the central portion of said cabinet to provide aclearance space at the rear of said cabinet for utility conduits.

3. In combination, a portable kitchen cabinet support comprising avertically disposed framework, said framework being formed of aplurality of interconnected vertically and horizontally extendingcoplanar metal struts, one of said horizontally extend ng struts havingan upstanding portion, a unitary kitchen cabinet structure having aframework connecting member, said member including means fortransversely slidably supporting said cabinet structure on saidupstanding portion and means for positively securing said cabinetstructure to one side of said framework whereby said cabinet structureprojects in cantilever fashion from said framework, a wood furring stripsecured to the opposite side of said framework, and a panel fixed tosaid wood furring strip to form a wall adjacent said framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,737,601 Macomber Dec. 3, 1929 2,167,836 Greulich Aug. 1, 19392,350,228 Hanes May 30, 1944 2,521,134 Stanitz Sept. 5, 1950 2,521,765White Sept. 12, 1950 2,676,680 Kindorf Apr. 27, 1954 2,680,326 SultanJune 8, 1954 2,691,502 Jones Oct. 12, 1954 2,710,241 Lieberman June 7,1955 2,724,630 Saunders Nov. 22, 1955 2,725,667 Ingarra Dec. 6, 1955

